Coke treatment



Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COKE TREATMENT No Drawing. Application September 25, 1925 Serial No. 58,492

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to treatment of cellular carbonaceous residues, such as coke, and is of .especial utility in designating the origin of such material so that the domestic purchasers,

5 even though not able to determine the difference in the quality of the cokefrom the cellular formation and arrangement, may quickly and readily determine whether or not other kinds of coke are mixed therewith. More particularly, the invention relates to the trade-marking or distinguishing (i. e., rendering distinctive) of coke, whereby any coke so trade-marked, or so distinguished, may be easily recognized, either alone or when mixed with other coke not so distinguished or distinguishable. Objects of the invention in addition to those connected by the above statement are to improve the appearance of the material so marked, to prevent adulteration of cokefrom a particular source with coke from o her sources, to decrease the tendency of the coke to crumble and form dust or breeze, and in general to increase the salabllity of coke so marked. The invention further consists in such other new and useful improvements, and has for further objects such other operative advantages or results, as may be found to obtain in the processes and articles hereinafter described or claimed.

By coke is meant the cellular carbonaceous residue formed in the distillation of bituminous materials such as coal, pitch, petroleum, shale oil, and the like in the absence of air, but the invention is particularly useful in connection with that coke which is the product of bituminous coal or coals, when distilled in the modern by-product coke oven of either the horizontal or the vertical type (the latter being generally known as the vertical rectangular retort). It is generally conceded that the quality of the coke produced by such apparatus is of better quality than the coke that is the product of such apparatus as is typified by the older horizontal and inclined retorts and vertical retorts of round or oblate cross section. Without going further into a discussion of the relative merits of equipment such as has been mentioned, it may be said that this difference in coke quality arises from the fact that the latter types, of which have been constituted a large portion of the manufactured gas industry equipment, have been developed with the production of gas as a primary object, and the coke quality of secondary importance. On the other hand, the by-product coke oven was originally developed in this country as a source of coke for steel plants, foundries, etc., where the coke quality was of extreme importance. In recent years,

the division of the gas and cokeindustries has become less marked, due to the fact that coke is rapidly replacing coal as the common house heating medium in those districts where a supply of' good quality coke is available. As a result of 0 this tendency, and of certain advantages in operation and maintenance inherent in the byproduct coke oven, the adoption of the latter in the gas industry is becoming more and more general, especially in locations where there is a 5 steady demand for a domestic coke of good quality. A difiiculty that has been encountered in the sale of the coke from such plants and from other by-product coke plants in general, has been that the domestic users have not been able to dis- 7o tinguish accurately between various types of coke before purchasing the same, and much effort and publicity has been wasted because domestic users have been sold gas-works coke or other coke of inferior quality. Local distributors have been product coke of better quality. A marked tends0 ency of such gas-retort cokes, and of all cokes of poor quality, regardless of source (for it must not be assumed that all by-product oven coke is unquestionably excellent, since the use of inferior coals, or of poor coking practice, may be ruinous in effect) is to handle badly, that is, to crumble and become broken and dusty when handled. This is a source of annoyance to the domestic consumer, as will readily be appreciated.

By marking, trade-marking, or distinguishing coke, in accordance with the present invention and other inventions described in co-pending applications, as, will be noted below, it becomes possible for the manufacturers of coke to distinguish their coke from that of others and to improve the attractiveness, salability, and even the quality of their products.

The use of the invention is not, however, limited to application to by-product oven coke alone,

and may be applied with equally satisfactory results to any coke which merits such treatment. For instance, the peculiar properties of coke made from coal tar or pitch render the same especially valuable to certain industries such as that of iron founding, where an extremely low sulphur conother cokes, due to the difiiculties encountered in its manufacture and the desirability of the same from the standpoint noted above, the usefulness of this invention as applied to pitch coke may readily be seen.

The invention consists in coating or impregnating the coke with a distinguishing substance such as color producing material, and a description of various means which may be employed to this end, and methods by which such means may be applied, are given below, in exemplification, it being understood that the invention is not to be limited in scope orconfined in its application to any particular one of the means or processes so described or claimed, or to any particular color or combination of colors, or finish that may result from such treatment. In general, any coloring means that is easily applied, reasonably permanent, and not prohibitive in cost may successfully be employed, but the cost factor is so largely a matter of local conditions and opportunities that it is relatively less important than might be supposed.

In general, the colorings, coatings, stains and the like, that are applicable fall into two classes:

those that are soluble in some suitable solvent such as water, alcohol, benzol, or the like; and those that are not. In the former class may be mentioned, first, the water. soluble dyes or stains such as the dyes eosin, methyl violet, and the like, which producecharacteristic stains with a rather metallic luster, and second, the oil soluble oil red and sudan red. In this group also belong the colored varnishes, lacquers, enamels, and the like, often of somewhat refractory nature as regards finish.

In the group of insoluble pigments, coatings, and the like may be mentioned the wellknown prussian. blue and ultramarine, and the more common lime and iron oxide, also the metallic pigments such as bronze, copper, aluminum, etc.

The methods employed for the application of the pigments or stains will vary according to the nature of the same. The water soluble dyes may, for instance, be dissolved in the quenching water at the by-product coke plant, and thus applied to the coke without the necessity of a further operation. The insoluble pigments may also be thus applied, by suspending or making emulsions of them in water, and using the said suspensions or emulsions for quenching the coke. Solutions, suspensions or emulsions may be sprayed on the coke, either before or after the screening or grading operation or the coke may be immersed in a bath of thesame. If the liquid solvent or carrier be easily volatile, so much the better, for the moisture content need not be increased by its use, and the recovery of the solvent may even be practiced. Pigments or metals in powdered or flake form may be applied in the dry state, by simply dusting the same on the coke: this may be done when the coke is still warm 'and/ or moist from the quenching operation, orat any subsequent time. Electroplating the coke is feasible when it is desired to give the same a metallic coat, as of copper or nickel. The thickness of the coat may vary with the effect desired, and the color may be applied to all of the exterior surface, or a portion or portions thereof, or the coat may be applied in such fashion as to penetrate as far as possible into theinner crevices and cells of the coke. If the treatment is accorded the coke in the quenching operation, subsequent handling will tend to break up the original pieces into smaller ones, that may carry none of the pigment, or only a portion of the same, therefore, the preferred or best manner of practicing the invention is to apply the pigment at the final sorting at the coke-screening station of the coke plant.

By reason of the coating resultant from their use, such means as the lacquers and varnishes, applied to the small domestic sizes of coke, actually decrease the tendency of the same to abrade at the surface, and break up into dust-like particles, and this fact constitutes an advantage of the present invention, especially when the coke is to be stored in the bins of the consumer for some time.

As regards the attractiveness of coke that has been painted, or otherwise treated in accordance with the present invention, it may be said that this will be a function of the material employed and will depend on the individual taste. The common association of the color red with fire and warmth connotes in the mind of the purchaser of coke the uses to which it is to be put. In addition to the aesthetic side of the question that must be considered in the sale of coke for domestic use, there is the sentimental side that exists in relation of colors to human qualities such as dependability.

The permanence of the trade-marking or coloration may be a matter of much importance, and means for increasing the same, and for increasing the distinctiveness and vividness of coke thus marked, as well as improvements in the methods of applying the color are described and claimed in the copending applications of Allison A. Kohr, Case KCTP Serial No. 58,493, and of William H. Hill, Cases HCTP Serial No. 58,494, I-ICTF Serial No. 58,495, I-ICTM Serial No. 58,496 and HCTR Serial 58,497, all filed of even date herewith, and all for coke treatment and product.

The. invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in particular forms but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. A method of imparting to coke a distinctive color characteristic to give it a distinctive appearance that will distinguish it from coke of other origin which comprises quenching the freshly made hot coke with quenching water that contains and will deposit on the coke a substance or substances that will give it a distinctive color characteristic.

2. In the art of distinguishably marking in bulk, coke and the like fuel, constituted of a bulk mass of irregularly fracture-formed lumps, with materials rendering it distinctive in appearance from other like bulk fuel, the improvement which comprises: collectively applying coloring material, contrasting in color with the lumps, directly and adherently to exterior surfaces of the same fuel lumps that are themselves to constitute at least a substantially large part of such bulk and distributively disposing them generally throughout the bulk, so as to physically alter characteristically and visually the appearance of the said bulk while still retaining the general appearance in bulk of such fuel.

FREDERICK W..SPERR, JR. 

